Posole

This weekend was the weekend of holiday parties and indulgence. I managed to make it to 4 of the 5 holiday parties I was invited to on Saturday, and lived to tell the tale. However, I was definitely feeling the effects of too much drink on Sunday morning, when I journeyed to Giant at 9 a.m. to pick up 2 lbs of pork shoulder. What I ended up with was a surprisingly heavy 2 lb piece of meat (READ: a 9 1/2 lb. piece of meat for $2/lb...yes I transposed the numbers when purchasing this, and didn't realize it until I got home.)

In any case, I made a great posole with it (and froze the rest of the meat...I see carnitas in my immediate future). This was awesome hangover food for a crowd, and will be what I'm eating all week. It is time intensive since you slow cook the meat for many hours, but prep work is pretty minimum once the meat is cooked. Totally worth the time.

Posole (serves 8-10)

Pork

• 1 TB ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 2-pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 red onion, sliced

Posole

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil     
• 1/2 red onion, chopped    
• 3 garlic cloves, minced    
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced    
• 6 cups low-salt chicken broth    
• 1 28-ounce can undrained pinto beans    
• 1 28-ounce can white hominy, drained    
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, puréed in blender until smooth    
• 1 TB oregano   
• 2 tsp ground cumin    
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper    
• Shredded mild cheddar     
• Chopped fresh cilantro     
• Lime wedges    
• Flour tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275°. Line a small roasting pan with foil. Mix cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Rub spice mix all over pork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork in pan and cover with sliced onion. Pour 1/2 cup water in the bottom of pan. Cover pan tightly with foil and roast until meat is very tender, 5–6 hours. Let pork rest until cool enough to handle.

Using 2 forks, shred pork into bite-size pieces. Skim fat from juices in roasting pan; reserve meat. This can be done a day ahead if needed.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium- low heat. Add onion and sauté until trans- lucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the diced fresh tomatoes and stir until softened, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in broth and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

 

Add reserved pork to posole. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes longer for flavors to meld. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding reserved juices from roast pork, if desired. Divide among bowls, garnish with shredded cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges, and serve with flour tortillas.